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Home , Ben Nicholson, Bernard Meadows, Ceri Richards, Edward Burra, Henry Lamb, Paul Maze

The

Contemporary

Art

Society

• The Contemporary Art Society, Gallery, Millbank SWI

Patron Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

Executive Committee Raymond Mortimer (Chairman) Peter Meyer (Hon. Treasurer) Loraine Conran (Hon. Secretary) Sir Colin Anderson Sir Philip Hendy W. A. Evill E. C. Gregory Eardley Knollys Howard Bliss Mrs. Cazalet-Keir Sir , C.B.E. Eric Newton Mrs. Oliver Parker A. B. Lousada Dr. Alastair Hunter

Organising Secretary Pauline Vogelpoel

Chairman's Report

The cheerful report on the year 1956 that I am privileged to offer you is defaced by one black spot: Mr. Denis Mathews, who had been our Assistant Secretary for ten years, resigned in the Spring. He wished to give all his time to , and as I greatly admire his gift I must applaud as well as regret his decision. By his enthusiasm, enterprise, tact and imagination as well as by his patient industry he did far more than anybody else to revive this Society, and on your behalf I wish to express the deepest gratitude. The Committee elected in his place as Organising Secretary, Miss Pauline Vogelpoel, who had been working as his assistant: her abilities have already proved even greater than we had hoped. She is now receiving some valuable help from Mrs. Meninsky. The Exhibition of and depicting "The Seasons", which had been organised by the Society, was housed in the Tate by the generous permission of the Director and Trustees. Forty-four painters and thirteen sculptors accepted our invitation. Their works attracted nearly thirteen thousand visitors. The Sub-Committee appointed for the purpose, purchased for the Society paintings by Josef Herman, , Derek Hill, Mary Kessell and William Scott, and bronzes by , F. E. McWilliam and . We gave grants to the Tate Gallery and eight provincial museums towards their purchase of paintings by John Armstrong, , Robert MacBryde, Bateson Mason, Mary Potter, Ceri Richards, Adrian Ryan, Jack Smith, Ruskin Spear, William Townsend and Corel Weight. We even helped the Arts Council to acquire a bronze by and paintings by Keith Vaughan and Victor Willing. Absurd, you may think, that a small Society with limited resources should use these to bolster the Arts Council which is enormously richer. Personally I feel that the Arts Council should have blushed to invite our help. We gave it as ungrudgingly as possible, and I should like to hope (but cannot) that the Council may be shamed by our generosity into allotting a much larger fund for the purchase of works of art.

Apart from this exhibition we presented ninety works to seventy-two museums in the , and twenty-three others to fourteen in the Commonwealth. These included works not previously distributed remember that 1955 was a year in which we did not mount an from the Edward Marsh bequest. We held three exhibitions in exhibition of our own, and since the date of the balance sheet we have the provinces of works belonging to the Society, and lent works to been able to use the 1955 profit in making purchases from the twelve other exhibitions as well as to three hospitals and three "Seasons" exhibition. educational institutions. In 1955 as in the previous year we spent about £3,000, divided The purchaser for the year, Mr, Loraine Conran, bought for us almost equally between pictures and running expenses. We bought pictures by Peter Coker, Alan Davie, Merlyn Evans, Frederick Gore, twenty-three pictures for £1,384 and also made a grant of £200 to Anthony Gross, William Halle, Peter Kinley, Denis Wirth-Miller, the Tate Gallery to help them to purchase two important paintings by Russeii Piatt, Adrian Ryan, Jack Smith, Keith Vaughan and Michael . Our running expenses came to £1,593, and in these Wishart. days of ever mounting costs, the Secretary is to be congratulated on I wish to express the deep gratitude of the Society to Mrs. Cazalet- keeping them at this modest level. Keir, who was for many years a valued member of our Committee: Moreover, we obtained from various provincial galleries a considerable she has presented to us a painting by Ceri Richards. We are most refund of expenses incurred in connection with the exhibition of grateful also to Mr. Robin Howard, who has lent us a splendid group "Figures in Their Setting" in 1954 and it is this which is largely of five bronzes by Rodin. responsible for the surplus on the year. We held two parties at the Tate Gallery, one for "The Seasons" With regard to our income, we made a profit of over £150 on parties, Exhibition, one for the Braque Exhibition (and this was the largest notably those in the Tate Gallery for the exhibitions of Gauguin and party we have ever had, a great initial success for our new Organising Ben Nicholson: and the persuasive powers of our new Organizing Secretary). We were privileged to visit five private collections, by Secretary have been responsible for the collection of arrears of sub­ the kindness of Lord and Lady Radcliffe, Sir Colin and Lady Anderson, scriptions from a number of members and subscribing galleries, Mr. John Fremantle, Mr. and Mrs. Hart, and Sir Kenneth and Lady which accounts for the increase over last year's figure. Clark. We all enjoy these treats, I think, more than any others, and It is this which leads me to remind members that they would save I wish only that there could be more of them. Then there were two trouble for themselves and incalculably more time, trouble and parties generously given for us, by the Marlborough Gallery for the expense for us if they would sign a Banker's Order so that their Fontanarosa exhibition, and by the Zwemmer Gallery for the Francis subscriptions could be paid regularly and promptly. They would also Bott exhibition. benefit the Society at no cost to themselves if they would enter into a Deed of Covenant. I understand that some of our members fight shy This year has brought 335 new members, as compared with 150 in of these forms, which we produce so regularly, because they feel 1955. Once again I appeal to each one of you to find at least one they are part of the incomprehensible mysteries of high finance. new member. It is only by enlarging our membership that we can However, we are including them once again in the Annual Report increase the proportion of our income that goes to the purchase of together with a simple explanation of what they mean and why we works of art. want them. I would ask all members who have not already done so Finally, there are changes in the committee of the Society, Mr. to fill them both in and return them to us as quickly as they possibly can. Edward le Bas, after helping us a great deal as a purchaser and member of sub-committees, has resigned, but not, I hasten to say, from any difference about policy. We were pleased to welcome Purchases I9S6 three new members to the Committee: Mrs. Oliver Parker, Dr. Alastair Hunter, and Mr. Anthony Lousada. And I have resigned the Buyer: G. L. Conran Chairmanship, to which Sir Colin Anderson has been elected. He Peter Coker , Barbizon served the Society as Treasurer for many years, and it is most Alan Davie In the Face of the Witch fortunate that so busy, experienced, sagacious and enthusiastic a Merlyn Evans Window by Night figure should have been prepared to assume this new responsibility. Frederick Gore Olive Trees at AI pi I les My reason for resigning is simple. Everything I know about the William Halle Landscape Kent history of taste convinces me that nobody is a good judge of the art Peter Kinley The Grey Tower 1954 produced by persons younger than himself by thirty years or more. D. Wirth-Miller Landscape 1956 A Society that exists to encourage contemporary art should therefore, Russell Piatt Interior I am convinced, be managed by persons under sixty: and the Com­ Adrian Ryan Goat's Meat mittee has passed a motion which I proposed that henceforward no Jack Smith The Pink Shirt chairman should remain in office for more than five years. (The new Keith Vaughan Woodman in a Clearing chairman, I may say, was a strong supporter of this motion). Never­ Michael Wishart Lac d'Annecy theless I have gratefully agreed to the kind invitation of the Committee to remain one of its members. This is illogical, but my Anthony Gross The "Le Boulve' Suite" (set of eight etchings) interest in the work of the Society has proved stronger than my attachment to logic. Purchases from "The Seasons" Exhibition

The Exhibition Sub-Committee purchased the following works The Treasurer's Report from the Society's exhibition at the Tate Gallery:

I think I should start this, my first report as Honorary Treasurer, Paintings by explaining that although the Chairman deals with our activities Josef Herman Autumn Idyll during 1956, the accounts which I am presenting, and on which I have Patrick Heron Winter Harbour to comment, cover 1955. That is why I can take no credit for the Derek Hill The Season of Thaw fact that they show the very satisfactory profit of £482.6.8. Some of Mary Kessell Winter Wood you may think that it is not our business to make a profit, but you will William Scott Winter Still Life Sculpture Peter Dunbar, Paul Feiler, D. Hamilton-Fraser, Reg. Butler Torso (Summer) Bronze , Lawrence Gowing, Ivon Hitchens, Peter Kinley, F. £. McWilliam The Seasons Bronze F. E. McWilliam, D. Wirth-Miller, , Bernard Meadows Spring Bronze , , , Mary Potter, Peter Potworowski, Anne Estelle Rice, Leonard Rosoman, Presented to the Society Adrian Ryan, Stella Steyn, , Keith Vaughan.

Ceri Richards "Orange" Presented by Mrs. Cazalet-Keir Grants In Aid to Galleries

Loans to the Society Certain galleries took advantage of the Society's offer of assistance in the purchase of works from "The Seasons" exhibition for which Rodin Five Bronzes Lent by Robin Howard, Esq. Charles Murray Paintings Lent by Mrs. Charles Murray their gallery funds were insufficient: John Armstrong Spring and Winter Glasgow Loans made by the Society Michael Ayrton Summer Dudley The Society has been pleased to be able Robert MacBryde Still Life Nottingham to lend works from amongst its acquisitions, as follows: Bateson Mason The Seasons Camberwell Mary Potter Burning the Leaves Swindon To the Arts Council Ceri Richards Cycle of Nature Tate Gallery 10 English Painters 1925-1955 (Edinburgh) John Piper, Ceri Richards Adrian Ryan Summer Landscape Plymouth Jack Smith Winter Plymouth 6 Young Painters (Cheltenham, Nottingham, Falmouth, Harrogate, Ruskin Spear Spring at Rottingdean Dudley Carlisle, Newcastle) Martin Froy, Derrick Greaves William Townsend Winter, Hexden Channel Birmingham Keith Vaughan Exhibition (Huddersfield, Bristol, Cambridge) Caret Weight Winter Plymouth

To the British Council Arts Council

Venice Biennale 1956 () John Bratby The Society extended this assistance to the Arts Council International Open-Air Exhibition of Sculpture () Bernard Meadows who acquired the following works—

Contemporary British Art (Oslo and Copenhagen) Josef Herman Paintings Victor Willing Winter Machine Loans to Colleges and Hospitals Keith Vaughan September

The Society has continued to lend small exhibitions Sculpture to the following educational bodies and hospitals: Lynn Chadwick The Seasons Bronze

Architectural Association British Electricity Authority Training Centres Pictures and Sculpture Presented to Art Galleries during 1956 Hereford School of Art Tate Gallery Napsbury Hospital Still Life oil Royal Marsden Hospital John Bratby Still Life with Chip Fryer oil National Hospital for Nervous Diseases The Mourners oil Reg. Butler Studies for Heads of Watchers water colour Exhibitions to which the Society has lent Aberdeen Whitechapel Art Gallery, Merlyn Evans Exhibition Francis Bacon Study 1951 oil Hatton Art Gallery, Newcastle, Keith Vaughan Exhibition Bath Scarborough Art Gallery, John Piper Exhibition Jacob Bornfriend Kitchen Dresser oil Venice Biennale (Irish Pavilion), Louis le Brocquy Batley Finsbury Art Group, Annual Show, Stella Steyn George Charlton Siege of Lille drawing Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach, and in Cuba, Belfast "Contemporary British Painting", Colin Middleton Give Me to Drink oil Francis Bacon and Alan Reynolds Bilston Therese Lessore Waiting to Jump water colour Contemporary Art Society Special Exhibitions Birkenhead Bernard Meadows Reliefs on a Cock Theme bronze A number of complete exhibitions from the Society's stock Raymond Mason Paris Facade water colour were specially arranged for hire and loan to the following bodies: Birmingham Basildon Civic Arts Society Paul Feiler Atlantic Coast oil Bournemouth Arts Club Blackpool Castle Museum, Norwich Phyllis Bray Still-life oil Blackburn Artists represented: Brynhild Parker Portrait oil Eric Atkinson, Jacob Bornfriend, Reg. Butler, Bootie Prunella Clough, Peter Coker, John Craxton, Roger de Grey Adrian Ryan Self-portrait oil Bradford Lincoln Geoffrey Tibbie Man Thinking oil Walter H. Nessler Sevres oil Brighton Bernard Dunstan Cottage Bedroom oil Victor Pasmore Motif in Indian Red and Mustard oil Bristol Bernard Meninsky The Bathers oil Lawrence Gowing Decaying Apples oil Manchester (City Art Gallery) British Museum Keith Vaughan Assembly of Figures oil John Nash Path through the Wood water colour Manchester (Rutherston Loan) Bury Ceri Richards Horse and Rider water colour John Armstrong Still-life oil Manchester (Whitworth Museum) Gerard Chowne Late Afternoon water colour Landscape water colour Camberwell The Alhambra drawing Donald Hamilton Fraser Red Landscape oil Mansfield Drummer lithograph Gerard Chowne House and Field water colour (National Gallery of ) Merthyr Tydfil Ceri Richards Homage to Beethoven oil Robert Ihlee Workers Resting drawing Martin Bloch Down from Bethesda Quarry oil Middlesbrough Carlisle Lynton Lamb Park Scene oil Ethel Walker Two Figures drawing Newark Cheltenham Farm oil Andre Marchand Woman Reading oil Newcastle (Laing Art Gallery) Derby Charles Cundall Docks oil Alan Reynolds Winter Saga water colour Newcastle (Hatton Art Gallery) Darlington William Roberts The Goats oil John Armstrong Sketch for a Decoration oil Newport Doncaster Barnett Freedman Illustration to Goethe's "Faust" water colour Bernard Meninsky The Purple Dress oil Tom Monnington The Tree drawing Dudley Northampton Michael Rothenstein Design with Blue Background oil William Roberts Sea Bathers water colour Dumfries Nottingham Victor Willing Head of Girl oil Donald Hamilton Fraser Still-life with Cherries oil Dundee William Hayter Wizard etching John Duncan Ferguson "Joan" oil Norwich Eastbourne Ivon Hitchens Red Landscape 1955 oil Roland Pitchforth The Ferry water colour Oldham Glasgow John Craxton Beach Scene oil Peter Dunbar Sea Shore oil Oxford (Ashmolean) Halifax W. R. Sickert Self Portrait drawing Henry Moore Woman with Cat collotype Plymouth Harrogate Alan Reynolds The Poet goes Poaching oil Mark Gertler Still-life oil Preston Mary Potter Pier oil E. Hawthorne Street Scene oil Hastings Rochdale Muirhead Bone Rocks, Falmouth drawing Hereford Hamish MacPherson Puma drawing Eric Atkinson St. Paul's oil William Knight Umbrian Landscape water colour Hove Rugby Elliott Seabrooke Mountain and Lake oil John Craxton Standing Figure gouache Huddersfield Wyndham Tryon Siegfried's Funeral March water colour Robert Medley The Antique Room oil Salford Hull Graham Sutherland Thornhead oil Henry Moore Woman in Ladderback Chair bronze Scarborough Kettering Kyffin Williams Y Garn and Foelgoch oil Ivon Hitchens Landscape oil Mary Kessell Woman with Veil drawing John Barrow The Cliff Path drawing Sheffield Leamington Spa Derrick Greaves Venice in the Rain oil Paul Maze Still Life oil Leeds Donald Hamilton Fraser Beach with Cloudbanks and Cliffs oil Alan Reynolds Oasthouses oil Stalybridge Leicester Tom Monnington Head of Woman drawing Raymond Leguelt Bocage oil Eduardo Paolozzi Head bronze

S Stoke-on-Trent Ronald Searle Martinique Dancers drawing Deed of Covenant Order to Bankers Mervyn Peake Two Studies of Girls drawing Kyffin Williams Highgate Schoolboy oil Swindon I .... David Tindle Teazle oil Contemporary Art Society Wakefield of Anne Estelle Rice The Bouquet oil Wolverhampton Charles Hattemore Anemones oil hereby covenant with the Honorary Treasurer of Worksop the Contemporary Art Society, Date Edmond Kapp Paris Scene oil that I will during the term of seven years from York Leonord Rosoman Taverna la Fenice oil Bankers. AUSTRALIA or during my life (whichever period shall be shorter) Adelaide pay to the said Society each year such a sum as The Birds water colour will after deduction of Income Tax at the current John Minton Cornish Landscape water colour Branch rate amount to the sum of Brisbane Roger de Grey Hills at Hadlow oil Melbourne Please place to the credit of Josef Herman Burgundian Scene oil The Contemporary Art Society Perth from my general fund of taxed income so that at Coutts and Co., 440 Strand, W.C.2, Ceri Richards Pianist and Dancer oil I shall receive no personal or private benefit on receipt of this order Reg. Butler Studies for an Alternative Scheme water colour from the said annual payments. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my and on the same date in each year the sum of NEW ZEALAND hand and seal this Auckland Lawrence Gowing Window at Roquebrune oil Nelson ..day of... Anthony Gross Three Tunny Fish oil Kenneth Wood Essex Landscape water colour one thousand nine hundred and fifty Dunedin Elliott Seabrooke Trees and House oil Signed, sealed and delivered by the above-named Montreal Mary Potter Still Life oil , Ontario Signature Duncan Grant Still Life (Anemones) oil In the presence of Toronto William Scott Still Life oil Vancouver Name Blue Movement oil Andre Lhote Harbour Window oil Hamilton Address Name _ C. R. W. Nevinson Cornish Landscape oil (Clearly written in capitals and stating whether Low Water, St. Valery oil Mr., Mrs. or Miss) Occupation SOUTH AFRICA National Gallery, Cape Town Merlyn Evans Wharfside Construction oil Signature Address Basil Jonzen Stuffed Hawk oil Graham Bell Outskirts of a Town water colour Kimberley Name Henry Moore Standing Figures collotype Clifford Hall Theatrical Dressmaker water colour Graham Bell Hilly Landscape water colour Address

BRITISH WEST INDIES Barbados Occupation Derek Hill Prefabs at Blackheath oil This order should be sent to the Organising Signature Secretary, C.A.S., The Tate Gallery. S.W.I. it Q. Q M O H to o s d 8 14 10 17 8 £ f d 154 19 435 6 2 5081 17 6 2028 15 II 3025 15 3 £3368 2 7 11554 14 5 Current Assets outstanding Subscriptions and estimated Income Tax {including Estimated Refund of Income Tax on Deeds of Covenant) Interest on Investments (Gross) Insurance Recovery for damage to sculpture Investments at Cost Cash at Bank Debtors recoverable on subscriptions 423 7 10 Payments in advance 1118 4 Surp/us on Redemption of Defence bonds Subscriptions Sale of Tickets for ponies less expenses 2 £ £ i d £ 55 — Cash in Hand 182 400 500 National Savings Certificates 400 0 0 689 Current Account 891 £900 3% Defence Bonds — 1954 1954 1800 £1800 3$% Defence Bonds 1800 0 0 2882 £2884 I 6 3\% War Stock 2881 17 6 2932 5973 (Market Value £4723) £3117 Loss of 54 s d £ s 390 12 3 482 1584 12 1301 7164 2 2 £7554 14 5 13368 2 7

Whot Q Deed of Co\ renant? i d £ % d 482 6 6681 15 the Committee Members of 2nd November 1956 Girard von de Linde & Son Chartered Accountants, Auditors. London, E.C.3 [or the purposes of our audit. We have obtained all the information and explanations which to the best of our knowledge and belief were necessary 4, Fenchurch Avenue, Report of the Auditors to the Members of the Contemporary Art Society. books. We have examined the above In our opinion proper books of account have been kept by the Society so far as appears from our examination of those to the best of our information and according Balance Sheet and the annexed Revenue Account which are in agreement with the books of account. In our opinion and manner so required and the Balance Sheet gives a true to the explanations given to us the said Accounts give the information required by the Companies Act, 1948, in the fair view of the surplus for the year ended on that dale. and fair view of the state of the Society's affairs as at 31 December, 1955. and the Revenue Account gives a true and 1955 The Contemporary Art Society / Revenue Account for the year ended 31 December, temporarily retained pending presentation to Art Galleries, etc. Note: No value has been included in the Balance Sheet for Pictures, etc., purchased by or presented to the Society and Creditors The Contemporary Art Society/Balance Sheet 31 December, 1955 john Rothenstein Peter Meyer Accumulated Fundi (General and Foreign) Balance at I January, 1955 Surplus per Revenue Account Purchoses Expenses /593 14 7 Less Net Refund of Expenses attributable to previous years 292 II I £ £ 1954 1954 1591 1529 6685 £6996 £3117 Deficit of 3 Deficit of 3 Surplus for year Typography by Ian bradbery MSIA Printed by Kenion Press Ltd., Slough Bucks